Heritage of Commemoration

Sixty years Hague on

Following a proposal by ICOMOS, the 18th April as of 1983 was designated by UNESCO as the International Day for Monuments and Sites. It is celebrated each year with events that aim to make the public aware of their cultural heritage. Citizens are encouraged through a number of events to learn about and appreciate all forms of their heritage. Each year a different topic is promoted and all the events are organized so as to incorporate the specific theme. The theme for 2014 is “Heritage of Commemoration- 60 Years Hague Convention”.

The aim of this year’s theme is to make the public aware of the responsibilities and the provisions for all the member states that result from The Hague Convention and its two protocols. The Hague Convention constitutes the first and unique international convention that has legislated the responsibilities and the guidelines that need to be obtained from the member-states and their armies in the occurrence of armed conflict. The cultural heritage of a place, independent of national and religious orientation, has to remain untouched in time, in the occurrence of armed conflict, in order to be bequeathed as historical testimony of the worldwide history of mankind to the future generations.

The Ministry of Communications and Works, Department of Antiquities of Cyprus, announces that on the occasion of the International Day of Monuments and Sites, entry to the following archaeological site and ancient monuments on 18April 2014 will be free of charge.

1. Archaeological site of Tamassos, Politiko

2. “Royal Chapel”, Pyrga

3. Archaeological site of Kition, Larnaka

4. Neolithic site, Choirokoitia

5. Archaeological site of Tenta, Kalavasos

6. Archaeological site of Kourion, Episkopi

7. Sanctuary of Apollo Hylates, Episkopi

8. Kolossi Castle

9. Archaeological site of Amathus, AyiosTychon

10. Archaeological site of Kato Paphos (Mosaics)

11. Necropolis “The Tombs of the Kings”, Kato Paphos

12. Archaeological site of Palaepaphos, Kouklia

13. Archaeological site of Ayios Georgios, Pegia

14. Paphos Castle

For the celebration of the International Day of Monuments and Sites the following events will take place:

• 11 April- 31 July 2014

Periodic exhibition “From the world of Cyprus birds” at the Visitor’s Centre of the Archaeological Site of Kato Pafos.

• Thursday 24th April 2014

18:30 Lecture by Dr. Nicholas Stanley-Price on “War, disaster and the ‘reconstruction’ of cultural heritage” and

Photographic exhibition on “The Destruction of our Cultural Heritage in occupied Cyprus” at the Medieval Hall of Kasteliotissa

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New finds at Kissonerga-SkaliaThe Ministry of Communications and Works, Department of Antiquities announces the completion of the latest season of excavation at the Early–Middle Bronze Age settlement of Kissonerga-Skalia.

New finds at AigaiThree impressive funerary monuments which might open a new chapter to the study of the evolution of the so-called Macedonian Tombs have been discovered.